Author: horrorfestival

by Max Florschutz Characters. There’s no force more central to any story you tell. Be it a run-and-gun thriller or a dramatic love dodecahedron, a tale focused around a lone wanderer exploring a crumbling city or a baker expanding her rivalry with a butcher (that last one sounds like a potential rom-com, doesn’t […] via Being… Continue reading Being a Better Writer: Character Development and Character Growth — A Writer’s Path

by Ryan Lanz Have you ever thought to yourself that your characters are in charge, and not you? I once heard an interview where an author discussed his characters as if they were the ones with the quill in hand, so to speak. He went on to discuss how the characters would occasionally […] via When… Continue reading When Your Characters Won’t Behave — A Writer’s Path

by Brenda Hill While writing my first novel, I attended a lot of classes and read tons of how-to books. “Show, Don’t Tell” was a mantra I heard from most writing instructors, and it’s a technique writers must master in order for the material to come alive in the readers’ minds. It’s also […] via Write… Continue reading Write What You Know: Sage Advice or Hogwash? — A Writer’s Path

by smwright Rewrites have a negative connotation in the writing world, and when listening to some writers talk about them, you’d suspect they were on par with a root canal! I’m well up to my head in revisions for my SciFi novel right now, but you won’t catch me griping about them. Revisions […] via Writers… Continue reading Writers Need to Rethink Rewrites — A Writer’s Path

by Doug Lewars I believe I was in high-school when I first stumbled across a modernistic book that was devoid of plot. I wasn’t attempting to read modern literature at the time. What I wanted was science fiction and this book was classified as such. After sixty pages I closed the book and […] via On… Continue reading On Writing: A Word on Plot — A Writer’s Path

by Doug Lewars It’s easy isn’t it? You wrote it so naturally you remember it. Such is not always the case. I’m reminded of a book I wrote some years ago. It’s a fantasy and a woman is killed and moved into something I refer to as the Midworld. Anyway, not knowing her […] via Remembering… Continue reading Remembering What You Wrote — A Writer’s Path

by Phoebe Quinn My Twitter timeline is awash with urging. Write every day. Even if it’s for ten minutes. Just write. Write well and often. And so on. But, should you really be writing every day? via Why I Don’t Write Every Day — A Writer’s Path

I love reading and writing action-orientated stories. It doesn’t matter if it’s a movie or book—I love all the action with fights, weapons, car chases, martial arts, or an old-fashioned shootout. It may sound easy enough to write, but you might be surprised what it takes to make your fight scene really shine and […] via… Continue reading Writing Action Scenes — A Writer’s Path

by Larry Kahaner All writers get the same advice. Read the great writers; study the great works. Learn how seasoned, professional, and successful authors get the job done. All true, but I maintain that it’s also crucial for writers to read crap to learn what not to do. via Why Writers Should Read Crap — A… Continue reading Why Writers Should Read Crap — A Writer’s Path